Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more

Download & Play

Questions

Newspaper Page Text

. "s M
pH
ii '
ON THE MAIL ROUTE
By H. M. Egbert
(Copyright, 1916, 'W. G. Chapman.)
It was 17 miles by dog sleigh to
Esquimaux Harbor ' and "Alphonse
had plenty of time to cover it He
anticipated no difficulty, afad in any
event none could exist. He was the
mail carrier, and it is an axiom of
the service that the mails have to go
through.
But Alphonse had another cause
for looking forward to his arrival at
Esquimaux. There lived Nanette,
his sweetheart, who had pledged her
self to become engaged to him as
soon as he secured the contract. And
he had secured it, and was on his
way to present the visible proof in
the shape of his own presence.
He knew how bitterly his rival,
Jean Petit, had resented his winning
the girl's love. Jean had been half
drunk ever since Alphonse secured
the mail contract, and Alphonse
learned all along the road of the
threats that he had made against
him.
Alphonse was not thinking of
them Nor was he thinking of Jean
Petit All his thought. were concen
trated upon Nanette as the dogs
swung over the hill into the miles of
stunted birchwood that line the trail
to within seven miles of the ter
minus. As he did so a figure leaped out
from among the undergrowth of the
preceding year, tall sticks of aborted
trees and tangled brier roots, and
seized him by the arms. Alphonse
recognized Jean, mad with drink,
mad to the point of murder. He
know that he was no match for liim
in physical strength. Alphonse wafs
wiry, but Jean was built like a stunt
ed giant.
The dogs seized the opportunity to
come to a standstill. The leaders
promptly coiled themselves up in 4
the snow, while the two men strug
gled In the sleigh.
Jean hurled Alphonse into the
snow and, before he could arise, he
flung himself upon him again. ,
"So-you are going to Esquimaux
and you think you will see Nanette
there I" he sneered.
Alphonse said nothing, because
this was hardly a time tg talk. He
wished he could get at his knife, but
it was in his belt and the leather
To and Fro They Staggered
sheath had shifted -ground to the
back. '
"I am going to kill you," said Jean
Petit "I am going to kill you and
nobody will know who did it. m Your
bones will have heen nicked white by
the wolves long before the carrier
passes here on his way from Esqui--maux."
Alphonse still said nothing, xbut he
could-see murder In Jean's eyes and
smell his whisky-laden breath.
Ua MfafefBfefed